As a way to be more inclusive of all communities we serve, we’ll be changing our name to Evergreen Goodwill of Northwest Washington (or Evergreen Goodwill for short). Rest assured, we’re still the same organization committed to helping others, and now we have a name that better suits us!

“Things are so much brighter than I could have ever dreamed, and I just learned how capable I am even though I really believed and was told that I wasn’t. Goodwill showed me this whole different side of me.”

Rachelle arrived at Goodwill after leaving a horrendous situation. She grew up in a struggling family, dropped out of high school, and got involved in a relationship that led to Rachelle being a victim of human trafficking. Goodwill’s Job Training and Education (JTE) staff embraced Rachelle the moment she entered the center and provided the encouragement and support she needed to start believing in herself again.

Meet Inci! For years, Inci had worked tirelessly in a job with limited advancement opportunities. She knew she was ready for a career change, so she enrolled in Goodwill’s free Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Training (PACT) program – an 11-week course that prepares individuals for a career in the building and construction industry.

“No matter what you go through in life, you have to believe in you and that you can make it,” Cheri said. “I had lost that. You get to a point where you are OK and then you lose everything, and it’s kind of like, ‘How did I get here?’ I was beating myself up mentally and stopped believing in Cheri. The people at Goodwill were so open and loving, and they believe in everybody that walked in that room regardless of what you were going through. Goodwill was a big help in my transformation. I give Goodwill all props. I really do.”

Meet Chynna! When Chynna first moved from the Philippines to Seattle in 2013, she felt self-conscious about her English-speaking ability and found the idea of starting a new career in a new place nerve-racking. She enrolled in Goodwill’s free Retail & Customer Service course. The class helped Chynna develop new job and people skills, and created a community environment that built her confidence. Now, we’re honored to have Chynna on the Goodwill team in her leadership role as a Production Supervisor at our Capitol Hill store.

Throughout the pandemic, Goodwill has supported our community through our free classes and case managers are ready to support students with their most urgent needs. With the support of donors, last year, more than 4,300 students enrolled in Goodwill classes, and 541 found jobs with over 250 local employers. Goodwill has helped people in our northwest Washington community find employment for nearly 100 years, but the need for our services has never been greater.

Safety measures in place at our Outlets
We have adopted many practices and taken measures to ensure maximum safety of employees and customers in all of our stores. Here is what you can expect when shopping at our Outlets.

“It’s important for me to talk about mental health issues, because there is a stigma that had affected me in the past. I want people to be able to talk about it and not be ashamed. After all I’ve been through, I finally like myself, and I’m going to school and fulfilling a goal. I will be getting my associate's degree, and I think that’s amazing. I struggled, it’s a challenge, but I’m doing it.” – Diane

As we look back on our work and share the positive impacts you’ve made possible, it goes without saying that 2020 was a difficult year. But we persevered through the hard times. We provided much-needed support services, trained over 4,300 students and employees, and placed 541 people in jobs. 

“The youth look up to me. I’m young, but knowing they look up to me is kind of different, because at one point I was the person looking up to staff.” – Martrez, Seattle Goodwill Intern and Youth Program Participant 

Martrez graduated from Seattle’s Cleveland High School in 2019. Before he connected with Goodwill, Martrez compared himself to his peers who lacked interest in school and weren’t on the right track. After building relationships and receiving guidance from Goodwill’s Youth Year-Round Program Job Training & Education (JTE) staff, Martrez’s mindset shifted.